An Eternal Bond
by D. L. Sauron- AlmightyLOTRnerd
Summary: After living in filth and poverty for over two thousand years, Shagrat, the Uruk-hai captain at Cirith Ungol in Mordor, gets a second chance to live a decent life...and possibly find love.
1. Apocalypse and Aftermath

Okay, this is NOT an attempt to butcher LOTR in any way. this is just something I staarted because a friend challenged me to do it. We all know Shagrat has a terrible end in the book (or at least we can ASSUME he does, because he failed to capture and/or kill the two foot-fungus-factories, I mean hobbits). Well, my friend and I decided to rewrite his end. What if an orc got to make his own way in the world? This is my first work of fanfiction, so naturally it's going to suck. I know this. But still, if you like any part of this at all, please review. Oh, and I do not own LOTR.

_**An Eternal Bond**_

- 1. Apocalypse and Aftermath -

It was morning when the messenger from Minas Morgul arrived. Shagrat couldn't tell that by looking at the sky, which was always dark, but he had lived in Mordor long enough that he knew the smell of morning air. He could smell a faint scent of the dew on the trees on the other side of the mountains in which his home, the guard outpost tower of Cirith Ungol, was hidden. It was an old tower, originally built by men to prevent the inhabitants of Mordor from escaping into the rest of the world. It was fairly tall, but nowhere near the size of Barad-dûr, where the Dark Lord resided and where disobedient orcs were usually taken to be tortured.

Shagrat had lived there once, when he was young, as the Dark Lord's hand servant, waiting on Sauron hand and foot, day and night. But Sauron had been kind to him then. When he cried, Sauron held him. When he was frightened, Sauron was there to comfort him. And when he was sick or hurt, Sauron had taken care of him. The Dark Lord had even saved him from being eaten alive by vicious cannibal orcs. He was barely more than a baby, only three or four years of age, when he was brought by marauders to Mordor from some place he did not remember. The only thing he did remember about it was that there had been another orc running after him and calling his name as the villain carried him off and how he had cried out the other orc's name, which he could no longer recall. He couldn't even remember how he knew the orc or why he had wanted to go back to him so badly. When he arrived, he was chosen by Sauron and thus taken from the other orcs. In this way, he was saved from becoming truly evil.

Most of the time, although he was a servant, he didn't even work. Instead, Sauron would lock his bedroom door so they would not be disturbed, and spend hours at a time with Shagrat. Sometimes, he would sit on the floor and play with the baby orc, or he would wear his armor wrong or hold his mace in a strange way just to make Shagrat laugh. And laugh he would. He would fall over clapping his tiny hands and squealing with delight. Then Sauron would go and tickle him, and that only made him laugh harder. At night, Sauron would lay him down in his little bed in Sauron's room and pull his covers up to his chin. Then he would check under the bed for men and elves (Shagrat had been very scared of these). Then he would read or tell Shagrat a story to help him fall asleep. He would always end with "I love you, little Shagrat." and a kiss on the orc's forehead. In these ways, Sauron grew to be Shagrat's best friend and confidant, earned his trust, and, most importantly, became the father Shagrat had never had.

But then came the Ring.

When Shagrat had heard the full extent of his lord's plan, he had been afraid. He had questioned it and questioned the reason for it. But he had gotten no answer. All he had been given was an order that still ran across his mind daily, an order he knew, even now, at least two-and-a-half thousand years later, he had no choice but to follow. The memory was as clear in his head as if it had happened five minutes ago.

_Sauron had said he wanted to see Shagrat alone, so Shagrat knew it had to be important. He raced to the throne room and was out of breath when he finally got there, so that when he tried to tell the guard why he was there, all that came out was a hoarse little squeak. Luckily, the guard had known to expect him and waved him on past. He rushed down to the far end of the room and collapsed onto his knees before the great black throne. He could see a large, armored figure seated on the throne, looking half, if not completely, asleep._

"_My lord?" Shagrat squeaked out. The figure on the throne started and rose up straighter._

"_You wanted to see me? I came as quickly as I could." he gasped. The Dark Lord sat motionless for a moment as Shagrat tried to catch his breath. Then, as if he saw the orc for the first time, he jumped up and was at Shagrat's side in an instant._

"_My dear Shagrat, are you all right? Yes, I did say come quickly, but I didn't mean so quickly that you almost burst your heart." He put a large arm around the orc's shoulders and waited patiently until Shagrat spoke clearly again._

"_What was it that you needed so urgently, my lord? Are we being attacked? Has a prisoner gotten loose inside the tower again? Is there a food shortage?"_

"_No." Sauron answered, "I would not have called you for something as minor as the things you have mentioned. No, this is a much more important task. You are the only orc I trust enough to assign it to."_

_Shagrat couldn't help feeling a little like bragging to the other orcs as he said, "Anything for you, my lord. Ask and I shall see it done or may the Timeless Void and the Pure Evil take me."_

"_I am glad your devotion is so strong, Shagrat, but I would never allow any of those things to happen to you. Now about your task, you must first understand that failure is not an option. You must succeed or the Void will take us all, and I would hate to see a fair soul like you sent to that awful place of pain and despair. So do whatever it takes to see this through, no matter what you have to do, no matter how extreme or drastic an action may seem. Do you understand?"_

"_Yes, my lord."_

"_Good. Now, what you have to do. I have told you of my plan to create a Great Ring that will control all of the others. Ash nazg durbatuluk, One Ring to rule them all."_

"_Yes, I remember that. I still do not like the idea, but you are wiser than I in such matters." Shagrat replied._

_The Dark Lord nodded and continued._

"_Yes, indeed. You know my plan well. But you know not the true reason I am doing this. For in this Ring will be contained a part of my soul, my deepest being. Within this part will be the bond that connects me to Morgoth."_

_Shagrat shook, suddenly frightened, at the sound of that name. Rarely was the true name of the Pure Evil that inhabited the Timeless Void ever spoken. Usually, it was avoided like a deadly plague, for just the thought of him seemed to suck the very life out of those who heard it. Sauron realized this and pulled the trembling orc closer to him._

"_Forgive me, I had forgotten for a moment what power that name has here. I am sorry for frightening you."_

"_It's all right. Continue about my task, my lord."_

"_Right, your assignment. The bond to…_him_ will be inside the Ring. The Ring will then have the ability to sever that bond and free me forever. Not only that, but if all goes according to plan, it will also return me to my fair form which I lost in the downfall of Nûmenor. But to do this, the Ring must be destroyed. That is where you come in, Shagrat. You must make sure it is destroyed, as I will not be able to." He paused a moment._

"_Why not?" Shagrat asked, "You'll still help me…won't you?"_

_The Dark Lord shook his head._

"_There is a downside to this, Shagrat. The part of me that will go into the Ring is the good and fair part because that is the only part of me that existed when the bond was formed. The part you are seeing now that is kind to you and to the other servants. This part will probably be gone once the Ring is made. The part of me that _he _created, the part the elves call "evil" will take over, and I will most likely become cruel and violent, a monster from your childhood nightmares. I will probably do everything possible to make sure the Ring is not destroyed, as it will give me the ability to take over all of Middle-earth through controlling the other Rings of Power. Yes, Shagrat, they too are a part of thi plan. I will use them and my control over them as a cover-up to ensure that _The Pure Evil _will not suspect anything. That is why I ask you to make sure the Ring is destroyed. You will not be affected by its creation. I will make sure you are there to witness its making so that you may see it and sense it. This will allow you to recognize the Ring for what it is when the chance arrives to destroy it. I will apologize in advance for bringing this upon you, Shagrat, as you will be in the most danger of being hurt if I go into a mad rage after creating it." _

_Now Shagrat was scared._

"_What if you come after me when I've got the Ring to destroy it? What's to stop you from killing me to get it back? If what you say is true, then you will not treat me as you do now. I will be considered a slave, along with everyone else."_

_Sauron smiled._

"_My little Shagrat, did you really think I would leave you unprotected and defenseless? No, I will do two things to help you. First, you will no longer reside here. As of today, you are reassigned as border guard captain to the outpost of Cirith Ungol. It is the farthest of our outposts from Barad-dûr, so you will be safe there. However, I will give you a second defense in the event that you and I come across each other before the Ring is destroyed. I will place a Mark on you so that you cannot be hurt or killed by our enemies or me. The way a Mark works is that it is placed around someone you love very much. A spouse, a child, or just a close friend. It will protect them from whatever harm you wish to keep them safe from. Furthermore, the Mark cannot be removed by the person who placed it unless they feel the one who was Marked is safe."_

"_Thank you, my lord. I'll see to it that the deed is done. But I have one more question."_

"_Yes?"_

"_What if I become old and die of old age before I can destroy it?"_

"_Shagrat, you need not fear that. For, just as I am bound to the Nameless One, so are you to me. As long as I live, so will you. Your life will be much like that of an elf, in that you will retain your youth even if thousands of years pass. You will be the same then as you are now. Of course, you will age eventually, but it will happen very slowly."_

"_That's good." Shagrat said with a sigh of relief._

"_Again, I am sorry to put you in so much danger, but I do not trust anyone else to remain true to their word as I know you will. Shagrat-" he put one hand on each of the orc's arms, "-you must not fail. My life is now in your hands."_

_With those words, the full importance of this job hit Shagrat, and he knew he could tell no one about it. Of course, he could back out. He knew Sauron would understand and would let him. One part of him screamed at him to do this. But another part asked _If not me, then who? There is no one else. _He then realized he had no choice. Sauron was depending on him. When he needed something, he knew he could count on Sauron to make it happen. Now the tables were turned and it was he who was being counted on. He knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he let Sauron down. So, with a deep breath, he gave his word._

"_I will do it, my lord Sauron. And I will not fail."_

_..and I will not fail._ The last words of his promise echoed in his mind as the messenger approached him. He noticed what kind of orc it was and stuck out his tongue in disgust. _Ugh, _he thought, _a Morgul rat. _Like most of the Uruk-hai, he despised these creatures. They were absolutely sickening to look at. Their arms and legs were never completely straight, and when they walked, they were bent over like hunchbacks. Their skin was the color of puke, which is what Shagrat felt like doing whenever he saw one, and it was full of wrinkles and cancers because they never bathed, even if there was an opportunity to do so. They often had little to no hair. What hair they had was usually far back on their heads and only in the middle. Their ears, he thought, were far too big and long. The Morguls looked ridiculous with their long pointed ears almost larger than their heads, and some even wore chains on their ears, with one end hanging from the lobe and the other hanging from the point of their ear. Shagrat was just waiting for the day when one got his ear chains stuck on something and ripped his entire ear off. And their freakish yellow-green eyes made his stomach flip over, as they were sunk into the already hideous, shrunken face that radiated viciousness and scared or sickened everyone they met. But the thing Shagrat found most amusing was the way they walked. Instead of being upright and taking ordinary steps, they waddled along with their hind ends stuck out behind them as if they were asking to be kicked there. Some of the meaner Uruk-hai actually did this, but Sauron had scolded the urge out of Shagrat.

In contrast, Shagrat thought his own kind, the Uruk-hai, were the best kind of orc in existence. When they walked, they were tall and confident, with straight arms and legs, straight backs, and heads held high. Shagrat was no exception, but he was a bit on the small side for an Uruk-hai. Actually, he was the smallest Uruk in Mordor (but to a Man or Elf he would still be plenty big.) Other than that, his lack of bulky muscle, and the fact that he alone had a long tassel-ended tail that fell to his ankles, Shagrat looked just like the rest of the Uruk-hai. They had smooth, dark brown skin, which was kept as clean as possible. An Uruk bathed whenever he got the chance. Unlike the Morguls, the Uruks had long black hair that fell midway down their backs. This, too, was kept as clean as possible. In the days before the Ring, the Uruk-hai had been very impressive to look at, their hair falling in smooth, shiny black curtains down their backs. Now it was usually tangled and matted with dirt and filth, and their ears struggled to hold some of it back. Uruk-hai had small ears that were shaped somewhat like an elf's, but with a little more of a point to them. They never pierced their ears for fear of being compared to the "Morgul rats" as the Uruks called them, but some of them would braid or weave small stones or beads into their hair. Some Uruks wore their hair in braids to try and avoid getting too much unidentified filth in it, but Shagrat left his hair down. The only things he wore in it were two tiny silver bands, one on either side of his head, to keep his hair out of his face, and cords of silver that held two thin braids just in front of his ears. These inadvertently drew attention to his face. In his days at Barad-dûr, he had had a kind, sweet face like most of the Uruks that lived there. Now it was tired and weary of the long years of poverty and filth he had lived in for so long. If one looked at him, though, it seemed that he, more so than the other Uruk-hai, had kept this kind and sweet look. At any rate, it could still be seen in his large, watery blue eyes.

At the moment, though, those eyes were narrowed and their brows furrowed in distaste.

"Are you captain Shagrat?" the Morgul croaked in its raspy, gravelly voice.

"I am. And what, may I ask, brings you here? It better be important." If anyone else had been listening, they would have thought Shagrat's soft, clear, but authoritative voice like music to listen to. Just another remnant of his fairer self from his past.

"Erm, well, we received a report…from one of our lookouts, you see…that there were intruders in the mountains…or was it the valley…no, it was the mountains…and they were headed your way, and, well, there's talk of the Boss sending a troop of ours…that's our soldiers, from Minas Morgul, you know…sending them up here to be reinforcements…you know, uh, help you out if there's, you know, a fight or, uh, a battle of some…some sort. So…so I was sent..by the Witch King of Angmar, y'know, the Lord of the Ringwraiths himself, mind you…to…uh…to, uh, let you know. Yes, I was sent to-"

"I know what you were sent for! You already told me, you stinking fool!" By this time, Shagrat was quite annoyed with listening to the Morgul rambling on and continuously pausing and getting off subject. It was another thing about them that bothered him, the fact that they always talked like this one had. _Why can't they just get to the point, say what they need to say, and be done with it?, _he thought, _I could say all that in far less than a quarter of the time it took him. _The Morgul started up again and Shagrat tried his best to hold himself together

"Yes, so I did. Wait…did i? I don't know. No, I don't think so. Well, sir, I'll, uh, just, uh, I'll just tell you. I was sent here to-"

"I KNOW!" Shagrat yelled. "YOU WERE SENT TO TELL ME THAT I'VE GOT A WHOLE RABBLE OF YOU USELESS THINGS HEADED UP HERE FOR ME TO DEAL WITH! YES, I GET IT! DO I LOOK STUPID ENOUGH TO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT? DO I, YOU RAT?" He let out an angry hiss and pinned his ears. His tail flicked and twitched in agitation.

The little orc jumped back with a hoarse yelp, and for good reason. It is unwise to be within a sword's reach of an angry Uruk-hai, especially if he has a sword as Shagrat did, for they are known for their superhuman speed and strength. And while Shagrat was very small for an Uruk-hai, he was a more than formidable opponent for the messenger.

"N-no. No, you don't. My apologies, Captain. So sorry. I'll just be on my way now. Again, so sorry, so very, very-"

"Just get out of my sight before I kick you over the mountains to the Men."

The Morgul started to speak again, but a growl from Shagrat told him that wasn't just a threat. He turned quickly back the way he came. But as he turned away, he cast a last glance back at Shagrat and said.

"I fear the end of Mordor comes soon."

Then, before Shagrat could respond, he was gone.

Shagrat remained by the wall in the courtyard that overlooked the rest of Mordor. He knew the ways of the Morgul orcs well, and he knew that their messengers always arrived with news on very short notice. Sure enough, only about an hour later, he could hear the shuffling footsteps of the Morgul troop and he wrinkled his nose in disgust when their foul, unclean smell reached his nostrils. He sighed and wondered how long they would be here. He even thought of turning them around and saying he didn't need reinforcements. This thought immediately vanished when he remembered that they had been sent by the Lord of the Ringwraiths, the Witch King. As much as he hated the rats, Shagrat was not stupid enough to bring about the wrath of the Witch King. He had heard too many times of orcs and even a few Uruk-hai who had angered the wraith and were never seen or heard from again after that. Shagrat didn't know what happened to them, and, given the Witch King's reputation of violence and ruthlessness, he didn't want to find out. So instead, he strode over to the gate, standing as straight and tall as possible. If these horrid things were staying here, that was fine, as long as they remembered who was boss at Cirith Ungol.

"Oi, you!" the Morgul captain called, "You be the captain here? You captain Ragmat, or whatever it is?"

Shagrat strode over to stand in his way.

"My name is Shagrat, and you would do very well to remember that, captain…"

"Gorbag." the little orc snorted, "It's Gorbag."

Shagrat made a face. Even their names were disgusting. But he had to admit, the name fit the creature very well. Gorbag was hideous, even for a Morgul orc. His puke colored skin hung loosely on his bones and was covered with more tumors and boils than Shagrat had ever seen or even thought possible on one orc. When he walked, he was so bent over, his arms were almost dragging on the ground and his head was stuck out like a vulture's. Shagrat snickered to himself as the little orc turned and walked back to his troop, his rather large hind end wagging back and forth with each step. He shook his head, and suddenly thought of the best place to possibly lose some Morguls.

"Say, Gorbag.." he began.

"Wha?" said the Morgul, not really listening. Shagrat continued.

"I have to make a patrol run down to the Lady Shelob's cave in a few minutes and I was thinking, since you all are here to assist me, well, maybe you all would come along and make yourselves useful." Shagrat disliked going to the spider's cave anyway, so he would take whatever company he could get. Just to make it look like he didn't fear the spider queen though, he called out some of his own soldiers and the two groups slowly made their way down to the cave, the Morguls, and the Cirith Ungol Uruk-hai arguing and bickering the whole way, until both of the captains had headaches. Shagrat's was the worse one, as his ears worked better than Gorbag's which, looked like he had pulled on them and stretched them far too much.

I will not go into detail much about what happened after that, when the orcs found Frodo and were arguing over who got his belongings, because that part is probably already known to you if you have read the book or seen the movie. Which, if you are reading this, you most likely have. I will only say that as Sam ran to go find the stairway that would lead him to Frodo, he crossed paths with Shagrat, who had been injured in the quarrel that followed his fight with Gorbag over Frodo's mail shirt. His right arm hung at his side by only a few threads of skin. Gorbag's sword had rendered it completely useless. He stood facing Sam and holding the bag of Frodo's things in his good hand. He stood and waited to see what the hobbit would do next. His years of experience as a border guard fighting off invading Men and Elves had taught him never to make the first move in a fight, unless you have a death wish. Before you get the wrong idea, I will add here that Shagrat's name was famous amongst the armies, for he had won many border fights without ever getting a drop of blood on his sword (he didn't kill anyone, but he might have knocked them out or maimed them in some way). The others under him would kill some, but Shagrat himself had never actually killed anyone before, and he wasn't about to start now. Not with a tiny little Halfling, anyway.

"Well are you going to attack me like a normal orc or just stand there staring at me?" Sam seemed to have the same knowledge as Shagrat when it came to potential fights. Finally, Shagrat began to get impatient.

"In the top tower, down the hall to the left, look for the trapdoor, and climb the ladder. He'll be there." the orc said loud enough for Sam to hear. The hobbit was clearly surprised. The last thing he had expected was for the orc to _help _him and give him straightforward directions to Frodo.

Shagrat didn't know why he had helped the hobbit, except that it seemed like the exact right thing to do. Or maybe it was that smell…He had smelled it before, and it had been something bad. Something that had smelled of sulfur and fire and… and _hot metal._ Suddenly, he remembered. It was the Ring, or at least the scent of it. The hobbit had it, and somehow Shagrat knew they were headed for Mount Doom.

"Good luck!" he called after Sam but the hobbit didn't respond. Shagrat stripped a few dead Uruks of their armor and gear and set it out where he knew Sam would find it. Then he took up the bag again and disappeared down the road, headed towards Barad-dûr.

I will only add here about the hobbits that after Sam found Frodo, he remarked that his friend needed to disguise himself as an orc while they were in Mordor. When Sam went down the ladder to look for things, he was surprised to find a set of orc clothing and gear already laid out that looked to be just the right size for Frodo. He gladly took the things and, as it was the last living thing he had seen before finding Frodo (who had been right where Shagrat said he would be. This made Sam wonder if maybe the orc was sick in the head, or what we would call brain damaged.), he easily guessed who had left these things there for him to find.

"Shagrat." Sam said, "It had to be.". He looked out a window and saw a tiny dark dot streaking away from Cirith Ungol. He knew it was Shagrat, making off to who knew where with Frodo's beautiful _mithril _coat. Sam didn't know why he did what he did next, but it felt necessary and somehow it just felt…right.

"Thank you." he said softly to the disappearing orc. _Maybe there really are good orcs,_ he thought, _Maybe Shagrat is one of them._

He turned back to get Frodo. They had to keep moving.

It took Shagrat twelve days to reach Barad-dûr. For, although he could see it from Cirith Ungol, the distance was actually very far, especially if you were travelling on foot as Shagrat was. He could only see it because the land between the two places was so barren and flat and Barad-dûr itself was gigantic in size. Even the main entrance causeway, at which he now stood, was enormous. He stopped to rest a moment before starting to cross. The causeway itself was very large too. Eight Uruk-hai could walk across shoulder to shoulder and not feel cramped. Shagrat looked up to the top of the tower, where he could see the flickering light of the Great Eye against the dark, cloudy sky. He knew that Eye was actually Sauron, and Shagrat pitied him. His lord had been so good to him, for so long, and now he was reduced to a lifeless existence as a giant flaming lidless eye stuck up on top of a tower. Then he remembered the hobbit who had the Ring, and he smiled to himself.

"It won't be long now, my lord." he thought, "It's on its way to being destroyed. Just hold on a little bit longer." He then proceeded to cross the causeway.

He raced for the throne room once he was inside. Not because he wanted to see the person who was there, but because he wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible. When he entered, he saw the Mouth of Sauron seated on Sauron's black throne, which was a bit too big for it, as it was half the Dark Lord's size.

Shagrat tried to hide his disgust. He deeply detested this creature even more than he did the Morguls, and he knew it didn't like him much either. Ever since Sauron had been lost in the Battle of the Last Alliance, the Mouth had asserted itself as the ruler of Mordor and basically taken over everything. It took pleasure in violence and pain, and it had terrible dark powers of its own. It was rumored that it even _ate _some of its victims after they died. And there was nothing Sauron could do to stop it, as he was only a flaming eye atop the tower. The Mouth had basically stolen his title, his ruling power, and his honor in the eyes of his subjects. And every deed that resulted from its takeover the Mouth blamed on Sauron and swore that it was only "a lowly servant doing his master's bidding." The mere thought of this injustice made Shagrat feel sick, and the total unfairness of it filled him with rage. To see this foul thing sitting on Sauron's throne as if _it _were the rightful Lord of Mordor did not sit well with him, but he shrugged it off. He was determined not to give the thing another way to put him down, to make him feel like a completely inferior farm animal, which Sauron had told him so many times he wasn't.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't captain Dungrat, or whatever. What brings you here?" the Mouth sneered, messing up his name on purpose. As usual.

"Well, I certainly didn't come just to visit you." Shagrat said, sounding more confidant than he actually felt, "I just came to alert you that we found out there was an intruder loose."

"And did you send your soldiers out after it?" the thing asked.

"Er…well, that's where the problem is. We had captured one of the intruders, but my group got into a fight about what to do with his things with those Morguls you had the Witch King send up and, well, I'm the only one left. And I did not escape unharmed." Shagrat held up his bad arm, which he had bandaged himself, so the Mouth could see it. Then he let go and it fell down to his side again.

"Oh, poor Mudmat," the Mouth replied sarcastically. "Well, as you well know, anything belonging to any prisoner was to be brought here for inspection. I see you've brought something with you, so you know that at least. Is that the prisoner you have brought to us?"

"Er…well, not exactly," he said. Shagrat racked his brains to figure out just what to say. He didn't dare reveal that he had helped the prisoners escape. "His accomplice found him during the quarrel and they escaped while we were all fighting." It was the best he could come up with, but he could tell by the way the Mouth was leaning forward that it was not good enough.

"And did you see which way they went?" it asked, its foul breath strong with the scent of death, so that it almost choked Shagrat.

"Um…toward Mount Doom?" he said quietly.

"And did you try to stop them?" It glared at him.

"N-no, I-I d-d-didn't." Shagrat stuttered. That was one of the Mouth's abilities. It could generate fear, which is what it was doing now. It did this to those it was interrogating, to scare them into telling the truth, confessing to a crime, or betraying their friends and loved ones.

"You thought it more important to come here first?" A malicious smile began to cross its face.

"Y-yes." Shagrat squeaked.

"FOOL!" the Mouth screamed, jumping up from the throne, "DID YOU NOT THINK HIS ACCOMPLICE MIGHT POSSIBLY HAVE SAURON'S RING OF POWER? OR THAT THOSE INTRUDERS MIGHT BE ON THEIR WAY TO DESTROY IT? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH DANGER YOU HAVE JUST PUT US ALL IN? DO YOU?"

Shagrat, now frozen in fear as the Mouth was much larger than him, said nothing.

"ANSWER ME, YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR AN ORC!"

But Shagrat was speechless. He tried to answer, but no words came out. Furious, the Mouth grabbed him by the neck and, with its superhuman strength, hurled him at the nearest wall. He hit with his head first. There was a sickening crack and a gasp from Shagrat as he slid to the floor and stayed there. A searing pain raced through his entire body, but especially his head. He reached up to feel it and found where his head had split open in the back. The wound was small and not very deep, but it hurt like nothing he had felt before, and when he pulled his hand away, there was blood on his fingers.

He had no time to react as the Mouth rushed at him, a barbed whip in its hand.

"I'LL TEACH YOU TO IGNORE ME, YOU STUPID, WORTHLESS ORC!" it yelled as it began beating him with the lash in any exposed area of flesh it could find. Shagrat quickly curled up into a tight ball, trying to protect his face. The pain was like nothing he had ever imagined, and as the Mouth showed no sign of stopping any time soon (it just beat him harder if he moved), tears had began welling up in his eyes, so that he could hardly see anything around him. The Mouth was in such a rage that it didn't hear him as he cried out through his tears.

"My lord Sauron, please save me!"

But though he knew Sauron heard him, he also knew the Dark Lord could not help him until he was Restored to his former self by the destruction of the Ring. And unless the Ring was destroyed very soon, it would not matter if Sauron was Restored, because Shagrat would be dead at the hand of the Mouth. He could already see the thing ravenously tearing at the flesh of his corpse.

Not far away, inside Mount Doom, a little hobbit stood on the edge of a cliff. Far below, a river of lava flowed slowly past.

In his hand, the hobbit held a chain. And on that chain was a Ring.

Another fatter hobbit came inside and saw the one with the Ring standing there.

This was the moment their whole journey had led up to. This was why they had come here. Sam thought of all their friends they had made on their journey. He thought of the fair elves of Rivendell and Lorien. He thought of all the hobbits back in the Shire.

"Go on!" he yelled to Frodo. He thought of all the people they were about to save. He looked out towards Barad-dûr, which he could see rising dark and tall into the sky out the entrance to Mount Doom, and thought he could just faintly hear, in his head, a voice crying out, as if its owner was in terrible pain.

"…_please save me!"_

Of course, he could have been imagining it, but he knew the voice. It was the same voice that had told him Shelob hadn't killed Frodo, the same voice that had upheld the orders that kept Frodo alive, the same voice that had led him to his reunion with Frodo. And suddenly, he thought of Shagrat, the orc who had helped them to escape the orc tower. Sam imagined this had been found out and Shagrat was probably in a dungeon somewhere deep underground, being tortured for helping them. It then came to him that he wanted to return the favor, that is, if Shagrat wasn't already dead.

"Destroy it!" he yelled. Frodo gave him an affirmative glare and whispered the one word Sam hoped he wouldn't say.

"No."

What happened next was very quick and very well known, so I won't describe it, except for the last joyful cries of a small gangrel creature as it fell toward the lava and was swallowed up by it. Its hand was the last thing to go. And in that hand was a golden Ring.

The One Ring was destroyed.

_This is the end,_ Shagrat thought as the Mouth still continued lashing him, _I'm going to die here. Oh, Sauron, why didn't you protect me from everyone? I will be dead for sure by the time you are fully restored. That is, if the Ring has even been destroyed. Oh, forgive me, my lord. I have failed you. You trusted me with your life and I let you down. I gave you my word and did not keep it. I am so sorry, my lord. Please, please forgive me. Please._

But even as he had these thoughts, the floor began to tremble beneath him. A loud rumbling filled the tower, and everyone, even the Mouth, froze in the midst of whatever they were doing. Shagrat was the first to look up and spot the true phenomenon. The Mouth followed his gaze as the ceiling above them began to glow. The light got brighter and brighter, until they all had to shield their eyes. A loud, piercing shrieking could be heard all around them and so they moved their hands to cover their ears and instead squeezed their eyes shut. There was a sudden, deafening boom, like a great thunderclap. Without warning, Shagrat felt himself thrown high into the air. Below him was a sound like a great avalanche. He dared to open his eyes to see what had happened. He saw Barad-dûr literally being torn apart by the force of the great explosion, which had thrown him up high over Mordor. He was suddenly aware that he was slowing down. He seemed to stop completely and just hang suspended in the air for a few seconds. Next thing he knew, he was dropping like a stone toward the ground. He saw the Nazgûl flying wildly about and thrust out both of his hands. By luck, he caught hold of a fell beast's tail as it dropped toward the ground. It slowed his fall quite a bit. He reached out with one hand and grabbed another fell beast by the tail. This slowed him down even more. The two beasts were headed for the ground. But just as they were about to get low enough for Shagrat to let go of their tails and land on his feet, they whipped their tails upwards, rather quickly. So surprised was Shagrat that he lost his grip and went flying across the plain. He landed, had he known it, right in the exact spot where Sauron's throne had been just seconds earlier. When he fell, he hit his head on a leftover piece of said throne, gave a small grunt, and then Shagrat fell unconscious and knew no more.


	2. Reunion and Ignorance

All right, second chaapter.. Thank you to anyonee who is still reading this. This chapter is much happier than the first one. That's alll I''ll say. Anything else would be spoilers. Please read and review. This will let me know if I need to start on the next chapter or not. BE WARNED! IT MAY TAKE ME A WHILE TO UPDATE THIS IF I NEED TO. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Oh, and I don't own LOTR.

2. Reunion and Ignorance

Shagrat came to in a fog, or was it a dust cloud. He couldn't be sure, as he felt too weak to open his eyes completely. He lay still, right where he had fallen. He didn't know how hurt he was, but his whole body felt like it was burning. He even thought for a moment that he could still feel the Mouth's cruel, barbed whip ripping and tearing at his flesh.

Suddenly, his ears picked up the sound of voices moving toward him. He tried to call out, but he was too weak for that, too. He needn't have worried. The people walked right over to him and began talking to each other, but as Shagrat was right on the border between conscious and unconscious, he couldn't hear them clearly. He guessed they were discussing him because their blurry but humanoid forms surrounded him. The conversation stopped, and he could see a blurry form as it came towards him. He felt the sudden softness and lift as the person wrapped a blanket around him and lifted him into their arms. He didn't know who they were or where they were going, but he felt sure they didn't plan to hurt him in any way. At least not yet.

The orc, for orc it was, as he could tell by the familiar smell, carried him a very short distance. They must have been taking him to a wagon or a horse of some sort. He was then laid on his back across something, and he felt a wide strap fasten and tighten around his midsection. The orc that had carried him now jumped onto the steed to which Shagrat was now secured and called out something to the others. Their responses were faint and the words impossible to understand. The creature he was on suddenly leapt upwards and he felt great muscles beneath him pushing downwards. _So I am on some sort of flying creature. I wonder where they are taking me, and what they will do with me once we get there. _These were his final thoughts before he sank back into unconsciousness.

For the entire flight, Shagrat slipped in and out of consciousness. His body and his head ached every time he came to, but all he could manage was a feeble whine so soft that he had a hard time hearing it himself. Even after they landed, he only remembered being carried through some sort of building or structure and someone looking closely at him.

When next he awoke, it was to a gentle warm breeze on his face. Wearily, he opened his eyes to get a look at his surroundings. He was lying on a thick pallet of blankets under some sort of canopy held up by trees. For a moment, he thought he was in the elf forest of Lorien. But he knew better. Elves would kill him on sight, not take him back to their home alive. He heard many different birds singing in the trees far above where he lay. He turned his attention to himself as he lifted the blanket that covered him, his hand shaking as he did. He wore only a simple loincloth, but someone had seen and treated every wound on him. Even his injured arm had been stitched and a new bandage put on it. He felt the back of his head and found that there was a bandage wrapped completely around his head, covering the wound. What was the most surprising (to him, at least) was the fact that he could now see his skin. No, not the topmost layer of filth and dirt, but _his actual skin. It was totally clean._ As was his hair. He could see where someone had taken out and redone the two braids on either side of his face. Each one was a smooth and shiny black, and the silver cords that bound them actually looked silver now they had been washed off. Shagrat was speechless, but this time it was because he was so surprised. He couldn't remember the last time he had been just a plain dark brown in color. He looked down at himself again and saw now that he was terribly thin and some of his ribs were showing as he tried to sit up. At that moment, his injury decided to catch up with him, and a sudden pain erupted in the back of his head. For a moment, his vision blurred and he saw spots before he fell backward onto his back again. A frown came to his face. He hoped they didn't expect him to fight anything. He was in no condition to. Quite suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a stranger's voice.

"Don't worry, I've cared for some who were far worse off than you are." An older orc was standing nearby and Shagrat turned to face it. It was a she-orc. She looked a bit like she would be someone's grandmother. Her long dress was made of a patchwork of different animal skins, and she wore a fair amount of shawls and scarves around her neck and shoulders. In her hands, she held baskets of various plants she had picked. She walked over and sat down beside him on a small mat of grass.

"I must be honest, though," she said, "For a time I was afraid we had lost you. You didn't even move whenever we tried to wake you."

"How long have I been out?" Shagrat asked weakly.

"Two days at least." she said, "You were very badly hurt when they brought you here. I was amazed that you were still alive."

Shagrat could only give a small smile. _Sauron, _he thought, _So you truly have protected me from death of almost any kind. _He turned his attention back to the old orc who sat at his side.

"I'm sorry," said he as he tried to sit up again, more slowly this time, "but I don't think I caught your name. What do you want me to call you, as this is probably not the last I will see of you."

She smiled at him, "Tinana," she said (that's pronounced _tih-NAH-nah._), "I am Tinana. I am the healer for our people."

"Oh," he said, "I'm Shagrat. I'm…not exactly…anyone majorly important."

Tinana put a hand on his shoulder.

"You are to us, young one." she said gently, "You are important to us."

Shagrat said nothing. She looked at him a bit longer, almost as if she recognized him, then stood up.

"Well, I've got some other things I need to see to. You lie back down and get some more rest, you poor thing. I'll be back later or I'll send someone with food and drink for you." With that, she was gone.

A few hours later, another orc came in with a basket of food and a skin of water. He was a large, muscular orc, much bigger than Shagrat, with a handsome face and long black hair in a single braid down his back.

"Are you the one they brought from Mordor?" he asked. Shagrat nodded. "Then this is for you." He put the basket and skin down as Shagrat sat up slowly. "I'm Isthey (iss-THEY), by the way."

"Isthey." Shagrat said, "I don't suppose you could tell me where I am, could you?"

Isthey smiled warmly, "Actually, I can. You are in the land of the Uruk-hai people. We went into Mordor looking for any of our kind that might still be alive. I…-" he paused, "I was hoping to find my baby brother. The marauders, wild Men from the mountains, kidnapped him when he was only two years old." Isthey sniffed softly, "I told him I wouldn't let anything happen to him, and I let him down. They took him and sold him to Mordor, the filth, just like they do with all the others they take. But he was just a baby. A scared, helpless, little baby. I still hear him sometimes, screaming and crying as they took him away." Isthey shook his head, "He was so tiny. He's probably dead now."

Shagrat thought of all the orcs in Mordor that he knew, "What did he look like? I may have seen him somewhere. I've been alive for thousands of years."

Isthey's eyes widened, "You must have been an excellent servant, then. Living in Mordor shortens our lives a lot. Normally, we live almost as long as elves." This was probably why Sauron had been concerned about how long he would live.

"But anyway, my brother. He's quite a bit on the small side. Big, blue eyes, sweetest little face you ever saw. If he were grown up, I imagine he'd look…" Isthey scrutinized Shagrat for a moment, "A lot like you." he said slowly. He spied the band of leather around Shagrat's neck. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to it.

"This?" Shagrat asked, lifting it with his finger. "It's just some kind of necklace. I've had it ever since I can remember. I don't know where it came from, though."

"Can I see it?" Isthey asked, an idea forming in his head as he recognized that the necklace was made by the Uruk-hai people.

"Sure." Shagrat replied, untying the tassels that held the necklace together and taking it off. "Maybe you can tell me what those marks on the inside mean." He said as he handed it to Isthey. The other orc took it and examined it closely. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he grabbed Shagrat by his arms and shook him roughly.

"What did you do with him? What did you and the other rats in Mordor do to my baby brother Shagrat!" Isthey growled.

"I didn't do anything to him, I swear!" Shagrat cried, wincing in pain when Isthey grabbed his hurt arm, "I don't even know any…wait, what did you say your brother's name was?"

"His name was Shagrat, and I'll tell you, if you brutes hurt him or killed him, I'll skin you all alive."

"That's funny," the smaller orc said nervously, "because _my _name is Shagrat."

Isthey froze and stared at him in disbelief.

"You can't be." he gasped. "Who were your mother and father? Where are they now?"

"Their names were Ateyo and Ninat. I don't know where my father is, but my mother was giving birth and was tortured and killed by Men while doing so. I think I was about two at the time. All I had after that was my brother…Isthey." Shagrat's speech slowed down toward the end as the memory and the shocking realization hit him.

He suddenly knew who the orc in his memory was that had been running after him when he was taken. The one he had wanted so bad to go back to. Now, at long last, Shagrat was back to him.

Isthey was stunned.

"I don't believe it." he said. "After all these years…" He trailed off. Shagrat imitated himself as an infant,

"I wuv you, Iss-tay."

"Oh Shagrat!" Isthey cried throwing his arms around the smaller orc. "It is you! It is you! After all these years, I've finally found you! Oh, Shagrat are you all right?" He looked down at the bandages that covered Shagrat's body. "Who did this to you?" he asked.

"The Mouth of Sauron. It sort of took over when the Dark Lord lost his body after losing the Ring."

"What did that awful Sauron do to you? Tell me everything."

"Actually, the Dark Lord himself was very kind to me. He loved me, almost like a son. He was the father I never had. You would have been at ease knowing I was with him." Shagrat answered.

"Really." Isthey said. Shagrat nodded.

"He even saved my life. Many times."

"Well, then if I ever meet him, I will thank him." Isthey said. He hugged Shagrat again, "I thought you were dead. I thought I'd never see you again. Oh, Shagrat, I love you so much. And I'm so sorry I lost you that day. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course." Shagrat said, "Besides, we're together now, and that's what matters."

Isthey suddenly looked up, as if he had just remembered something or seen someone he meant to talk to.

"Nia!" he called, "Nia, it's him! It's him! You were right, they found him! They found Shagrat! He's still alive! Can you believe it? The tiniest orc in Mordor, and he's the only one left alive after that big explosion!" His brother seemed so overjoyed that Shagrat didn't bother to correct him. Yes, he had been the smallest _Uruk-hai _in Mordor, but there were other _orcs _that were smaller than him. Gorbag, for one. Shagrat felt his stomach turn over at the thought of that horrid creature. But that only made him remember the foul Mouth, which was even more horrid. He shuddered a bit as he remembered his torture at the Mouth's hand, and Isthey hugged him tighter. But the moment Nia came into view, these thoughts all vanished. Shagrat didn't know what to think of her. She was the second she-orc he had seen. But Tinana paled in comparison with Nia.

She was perfect. Flawless in every way. At least that's what Shagrat thought as she strode over to him and Isthey. Much like the members of the Fellowship were stunned by the beauty of the elf Lady Galadriel, so was Shagrat taken by Nia. Her large, smiling blue eyes pulled him in, so that he could not tear his gaze from her. Her long hair looked to be loose at first glance, but when he looked again, he saw that it was actually done into many braids that hung in a shiny black curtain midway down her back. Each individual braid had different amounts of beads in it, and these were all in different places on each braid. Her face was soft and kind, and as she smiled at them, Shagrat began to feel light headed.

She was dressed in a knee length animal hide tunic with a black leather belt at the waist. A hunting knife hung in its sheath from her belt and a quiver of arrows was slung across her back, along with her bow. She wore leather guards on both of her arms and a sort of visor or headband on her brow. This, too, was leather, and it was decorated with a small animal bone down the center. Two pieces of some clear, but veined material hung down in front of her eyes until she pushed it back on her head. She was tall and lean, the perfect build for an Uruk-hai warrior. Shagrat could just imagine how fierce she would be in battle. Her enemies wouldn't stand a chance. Without his knowledge of it, his mouth fell open as he stared dumbly at her. She gave a small laugh and pointed at him. To Shagrat, the sound was like a Siren call and it held him hypnotized, until Isthey patted the side of his face rapidly.

"Wake up, Shagrat." he said, laughing, "You're drooling all over me." At once, Shagrat jerked his head back and snapped his mouth shut, slapping drool off his lips and wiping it off himself. How could he have let himself go lax like that? it went against everything he had ever known? It was stupid, and had the Mouth or some other higher authority (besides Sauron) been there, he would have been severely punished. It made it too easy for enemies to kill you if you did that. He felt his cheeks burn and he hid his face against Isthey's chest.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Whatever I did, I'm sorry!" he cried. Isthey laughed and pushed him away gently.

"It's okay, Shagrat." he laughed, "It's perfectly natural to feel like that. You're not the first and you won't be the last."

"I've gotten that reaction a lot. You'd think I'd be used to it by now." Nia added. The dizziness came over Shagrat again, but this time he fought it. He was unsuccessful. She laughed and looked at Isthey.

"He's adorable. I like him." she said. She walked over and planted a friendly, but affectionate kiss on his forehead. That was too much. No sooner did she do it than Shagrat swooned and fell limp in his brother's arms. Isthey and Nia looked at each other and giggled, shaking their heads. Isthey gently laid Shagrat back down on his pallet and covered him with the blanket.

"Is he alright?" Nia asked, a look of concern on her face.

"Well, considering you're the first female since his mother to give him even a peck like that, yes. He's perfectly fine." He noticed the mesmerized, blissful look on Shagrat's face as he lay there, probably lost in dreams about Nia at that very moment.

At the end of a week, Shagrat was released from Tinana's care. His wounds had all healed very well, she'd said, and his ribs were no longer visible. He was to be taken to Isthey's home, which would be his place of residence for now. So Shagrat followed Isthey out of Tinana's house and out into the common area of the village. Never had he seen this many Uruk-hai in one place before. They were all different sizes and shapes and all different ages. And, he noticed, another feature, one he shared with every person he saw here. Like him, they all had a tail. Every person turned to glance at him as he passed, probably guessing who he was by the rough black leather and hide tunic he wore, which had been the base of his uniform in Mordor.

"Can we please hurry and get to your home, Isthey?" Shagrat asked.

"Not yet. The clan leader said he wants to see you as soon as you're released. And knowing him, I'd guess it's important, whatever it is that he wants with you."

"What could he possibly want from me? I've nothing to give him!" Shagrat cried.

"Don't worry about it. You'll be okay. He's very friendly." Isthey assured him, putting an arm around his baby brother as they walked. Before long they came to an enormous tree, and in the bottom of the tree there was a small dugout area covered by animal skin curtains.

"Eytukan." Isthey called inside, "Eytukan, I brought him like you said, but-" He walked in and whispered in the clan chief's ear, "-I think he's a bit nervous." The clan chief nodded and dismissed him. Shagrat entered, alone, and sat down in front of Eytukan. On Eytukan's right sat another older she-orc who wasn't quite as old as Tinana, but still a bit aged. On his left sat Nia.

Shagrat began to feel lightheaded again. Nia saw him and gave a tiny smile, which he returned without a second thought. Then Eytukan spoke.

"So, you are Shagrat, the lost baby brother of Isthey."

"Yes." Shagrat answered, not knowing what else to say.

"And you have been in Mordor, in the service of Sauron all these years."

"Yes, I have." He didn't see any reason to lie. He didn't think the chief would harm him. After all, he hadn't done anything wrong.

Eytukan continued.

"Do you know what position in our clan my wife, Mo'at, holds?" This, he believed, was common knowledge that any true Uruk-hai person would know. Since he had never actually seen Shagrat before, only heard stories about what had happened to him, Eytukan was trying to ensure that Shagrat was really Uruk-hai and not one of the false mud creations of the White Wizard known as Saruman.

Shagrat answered the question as best he could.

"Er…she's…the…um…the…queen?" Eytukan shook his head. Shagrat tried again.

"The…advisor?" Again, Eytukan shook his head, his face showing only a very slight hint of what Shagrat thought was disappointment. Felling stupider with every try, Shagrat gave up after three more tries.

"I don't know." he said finally. By this time, he thought he could see disappointment on the face of Isthey, who had re-entered and was sitting beside Nia. Eytukan nodded and went on.

"Do you know what the role of an adult male is in the Uruk-hai clan?" This, too, Eytukan thought was basic common knowledge.

"No, I don't." Shagrat couldn't even begin to guess. Eytukan continued to ask him questions he thought were common knowledge about the Uruk-hai clan and their ways, but Shagrat didn't know a single one. With every "I don't know" he gave, he watched the disappointment grow not only on Eytukan's face, but on his brother's as well. Poor Shagrat couldn't understand what he'd done, and his ears drooped in sadness as his head bowed and his voice fell to little more than a whisper. What would happen now that he had obviously not met some standard Isthey had expected him to meet? Would Isthey think less of him now, or pity him for being ill in the head? (Again, we would call this "brain damaged" or "mentally challenged") Would he be angry and possibly hurt Shagrat? Or worse, would Isthey turn him away and disown him? He silently hoped not. He hoped his brother would still love him as much as he had before Shagrat had been kidnapped. In all the times he had faced the Mouth, he had never felt so stupid or ashamed of himself in his life. He saw Eytukan lean over and whisper something in first Mo'at's ear, then Nia's, and finally Isthey's. Then he turned back to Shagrat and spoke, his voice like ice.

"Shagrat, you have just shown us your complete and utter ignorance to the ways of our people. _Your _people, as you were born to two of the greatest Uruk-hai people I've ever known. I'm sure they would be extremely disappointed that their own son should display such ignorance." A lump formed in his throat, and Shagrat felt his heart sink to the ground. He was sure he wasn't going to like anything else that was said to him. His eyes started to water. It was Barad-dûr all over again. He was about to lose someone else who loved him. First his mother had died, then he had lost Sauron to the Ring, and now he was about to lose his brother. He was certain the chief was about to drive him away.

Isthey saw his little brother's distress and the tears forming in Shagrat's eyes. Knowing that Eytukan sometimes forgot that children didn't know such things, he decided this had gone far enough.

"_Ma eyktan, _please. You can't expect him to know anything. He was just two years old, only a baby when they took him, and that was thousands of years ago. You don't think a two-year-old is going to know all the things you asked him, do you? Well, that's how you have to look at it right now. Yes, Shagrat's an adult now, in body. But in knowledge of the People, he's still just a baby." Isthey's voice turned into pleading tones now. "_Ma eyktan, _please try to understand what I'm saying. Please listen, and take this to heart." He moved over to Shagrat and put his arms around him, "It's not Shagrat's fault any more than it is mine that he doesn't know anything. He didn't have anyone to teach him these things like you or I did. Please…" he hugged Shagrat tight against him, "…please don't turn my baby brother out on his own. Let me take him. Let me teach him and care for him for a while, then see how he is."

Eytukan looked at the two of them together, Isthey with his arms around his little brother in an attempt to comfort him, and Shagrat trying to hide the tears he was fighting back. He thought about what Isthey had said and what all he could do for them. Eytukan was a good chief; his name, which translated to "Kind One" in the Common Tongue, said it. And besides this, he liked Isthey, because Isthey was an Uruk of his word and a strong warrior. He had a good deal of compassion and empathy in him as well. And his heart was always open to those in need of help. In this particular instance, that was his brother.

Eytukan also thought about Shagrat, and his past. It was true, they had lost him to the Men when he was two. It was also true that children so young didn't know much beyond their families and their favorite bedtime stories. Eytukan knew, of course, Shagrat was smarter than that in most ways. And it wasn't like Shagrat had _asked _to be kidnapped and sold like an animal. From what Eytukan had heard about him, and what he had observed himself, Shagrat had never actually done anything wrong. At least, not anything he could have known was wrong at the time he did it. And technically, since he had not done his coming-of-age rites yet, Shagrat was still a child in the eyes of the clan. Children were not dealt with nearly as harshly as adults were. He spoke again, more gently this time.

"Shagrat, it is true that you don't know the history or the ways of your people. However, it is also true that you are still a child in the eyes of the Clan. Do you know what we do with children who show such ignorance as you have?" Shagrat shook his head, afraid of the answer. "We teach them. We help them to learn. Isthey, I am assigning you as his caretaker since you are his only blood relation." Eytukan turned to Nia.

"Daughter, you are very strong in your knowledge of our people. That is why I will make you his teacher. Tell him our past, show him our ways, and help this poor child to earn his permanent place among the People."

"I will, Father." she answered, "It will be an honor and a great service to the People." _And the most important thing I've ever done, _she added to herself. She, too, was always ready to help those in need.

"When should I start?" she asked.

Eytukan eyed his daughter and said, "You can start right now. You are all three dismissed."


	3. Relief and a Sad Tale

Thank you to my AMAZING reviewers. You are small in number, but great in awesomeness. And a hello to anyone who's still reading this (cough)Gorthaur(cough).

**Random reader: **It's about time you updated this thing! We've been waiting for months!

**D. L.: **Eheh. Sorry 'bout that. I got preoccupied with other stuff. Sometimes life sucks like that. Anyway, I don't have much to say here except that 1. I think it's obvious who the romance is going to be between here (No, it's NOT Shagrat and Isthey. That would be incest because they're brothers. They're not gay, either. And besides, this is NOT slash.), and 2. **I OWN LOTR!**(I wish)

**- 3. Relief and a Sad Tale -**

Later that night, the three orcs were seated around the cook fire in Isthey's house. Shagrat feeling relieved that he wasn't going to be thrown out or disowned. Maybe his life would start to turn around now that he had found his brother. Maybe it would be like it was before the Ring.

_Wait…before the Ring. The Ring!_

With a jolt, Shagrat realized he didn't know what had become of the Ring! Had the Halfling succeeded? Was Sauron Restored? Was Mordor saved?

"Shagrat? You all right?" Isthey asked from his right side.

"Huh? Oh, um, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. It's just…" He trailed off.

"Just what?" Nia asked, "What is it?"

"Oh…i-it's nothing. Just something very important that I was supposed to do for Mordor." Shagrat replied.

Nia laughed. "Now I'm confused. First you say it's nothing, then you say it was very important? Which is it?"

"Sorry." said Shagrat, "I mean it's nothing to you all, but it was very important for me."

"Tell us." Isthey urged. "What's important to you is important to me."

"Well…all right, if you really want to know-"

"We do." Both Nia and Isthey answered in unison. Isthey followed that with "Tell me EVERYTHING that happened to you there." So Shagrat told them the long, sad story of his life in Mordor. How he had been treated by the marauders and his fear when the Mouth of Sauron arrived and bought him, along with several others. The cruel things the Mouth did to them on the way to Mordor. How Sauron had, for reasons no one ever figured out, chosen _him_ from the group and raised him like a son. How he had felt safe and loved in Barad-dûr.

Then he told them of the forging of the One Ring. From his meeting with Sauron, where he first received his task, all the way up to meeting the Halfling in Cirith Ungol. He then told of his journey to Barad-dûr and his audience with the Mouth. Isthey let out a soft growl when he heard that the Mouth had grabbed Shagrat by the neck and thrown him hard against the wall. This changed to cringing as Shagrat told how the Mouth had so cruelly beaten him almost to death. He left out the fact that he had cried and called for Sauron to save him, thinking this would make Isthey lose respect for him or think he was weak. He saw Nia cover her face with her hands.

"Ohhhh." she gasped and put a hand on his arm. Shagrat felt a jolt through his whole body, but he dismissed it as nothing and continued, telling about the destruction of Barad-dûr which had saved him from death. He then recounted his awakening and his journey to meeting them

When he finished, Isthey seemed astounded.

"All that and you're still alive!" He shook his head in disbelief, "I don't know how you did it. You're tougher than I thought, baby brother." Shagrat couldn't help feeling pleased with himself for earning the compliment.

Isthey stepped outside, with Shagrat and Nia close behind, "Well, it's getting dark, so we'd better get some sleep."

"I'll be back in the morning. Night." Nia said as she left.

"Night." the other two called back. Shagrat followed Isthey inside, where Isthey stopped so suddenly, Shagrat walked right into him.

"Oh, Shagrat, I'm so sorry." he cried.

"For what?" Shagrat asked.

"I don't have anywhere for you to sleep ready. And I am NOT making you sleep on the bare ground." Isthey rushed about his house, grabbing things and muttering to himself. Finally he seemed to remember Shagrat.

"Come on." Isthey said, and led him to a corner of the house where he saw two mats of woven grass, each one covered in blankets that were various colors and designs. Isthey gestured to the one on the right, which looked like it had more blankets than the other. Shagrat went over and spread one of the blankets over the mat. Then he laid down on it and spread the others over himself. They were soft! He hadn't had soft blankets since he'd lived at Barad-dûr. He wriggled down deeper under his covers.

"Good night Shagrat." Isthey said.

Shagrat yawned, "Good night, Isthey." before he closed his eyes and drifted into much welcomed sleep.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Nia woke them early the next morning, before the sun had even risen. Shagrat yawned and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he forced himself to wake up.

"Come on." she urged, "There is much I wish to do today. We must get an early start. Come!"

"Let me at least get Shagrat something to eat." Isthey said stubbornly. He went inside the small mud-brick house and came back a moment later with two hunks of dried meat.

"Here," he said and gave one to Shagrat. "You can eat that on the way." Isthey began gnawing on his piece, but Shagrat decided to wait a little bit before he ate his. He ran to catch up as Nia beckoned them on and disappeared into the forest.

****

The Mouth of Sauron shoved the last bit of rubble away and climbed out of the ruin of the tower. It realized it still had the whip clutched in its hand from where it had been punishing the orc. That was what it had been in the middle of when the tower exploded. It remembered watching with delight as its victim screamed and cried out to Sauron, how the orc had twisted and writhed on the floor, its face contorted with pain. The Mouth had smiled then, imagining its teeth sinking into the orc's flesh and tearing it apart, ripping into it like a rabid animal. The crunch of its bones, the tangy taste of its flesh, the sweet and salty flavor of its blood…

Quite suddenly, it kicked the rubble hard, loosing an agitated scream and cursing the collapse of the tower for making it lose its meal. This only resulted in an audible _crack _in its foot as its toe broke and even more cursing.

"It's all that stupid orc's fault," it growled, "If it hadn't invoked the wrath of Sauron, the tower would still be standing and my servants still here." It flicked its whip and beat a piece of debris from the tower.

"I'll KILL that orc the next time I see it! I swear to Morgoth, I'll kill it! I'll do it with my bare hands if I must!"

Now, the Mouth was many things, but it wasn't stupid. It knew it couldn't just go hunting down one single orc. That would be wasting valuable resources and minions which it needed to rule Mordor… That thought stopped it in its tracks. It turned back to face the ruins of Barad-dûr and saw that the Eye was gone.

_Wait…the Eye is gone! That means Sauron is gone. Which means…I AM NOW THE RULER OF MORDOR!_

As it thought this, a sinister grin split its face. It smiled inwardly as it walked away from the tower to look for anything that might tell it if any of those sorry slugs Sauron called orcs were still alive.

The Mouth was thus oblivious to the fact that it was not the only one still alive after the tower collapse. Somewhere else in the great pile, something stirred and rose from the debris.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Ooh, I wonder who or what that could be. Read & review and leave your guess with your review!**

**Thanks.**

**D. L. Sauron- AlmightyLOTRnerd**


	4. Mourning and Flight

**Hey y'all, it's a quick update this time. This one's kinda long, but a lot of what happens here will be very important later, so pay attention. Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR. Now, let's get back to the story and find out who the mystery character at the end of Chapter Three is.**

**4. Mourning and Flight**

The first thing he felt was an ache all over. He couldn't remember having felt anything like this before in all his thousands of years. All he could see around him was blackness, and he felt as though an entire tower had collapsed on him. He felt some part of him moving, but couldn't tell what, or where, it was. The blackness around him split as two…somethings…were pushed apart by a force he had yet to identify. A large hand in a spiked gauntlet came up to press against his forehead.

With a shock, he realized it was _his_ hand. He quickly sat up and saw that he had not just a hand or even an arm, but a _whole body! His _body. At long last, he had it back.

_So my plan has succeeded, _he thought, _I will have to reward Shagrat greatly for this._

It was then that he remembered that Shagrat had been in the tower being tortured by the Mouth. Shagrat had screamed his name at least once, but, having no body, he had been unable to respond. He stood up and looked around. Where was Barad-dûr? He had to get to it, and fast if he wanted to have any chance of aiding Shagrat.

His eyes fell on the remains of a black dais that had once held a throne. The black color had faded with age, except for one spot where some black liquid had been spilled on it. Curious, he ran his finger across it. It was dry, but a small bit rubbed off on the clawed finger of his gauntlet. He stuck the claw into one of the slits in the front of his helm, where he could just reach to lick a bit of the stuff off with his tongue. As the sweet and tangy taste filled his mouth, he shook inside. It was blood. Orc blood. His immediate thought was Shagrat. And he suddenly realized he was standing in all that was left of his throne room The room in the very center of the tower, where the Mouth had tortured Shagrat. Where Shagrat had screamed his name. Where Shagrat had…

_No! _he scolded himself, _Do not think such thoughts. He never thought them about you. You will find him. He will be all right._

His next thought was the Mouth. Now what was he to do with that treacherous scum? Make it suffer the way it had made Shagrat suffer? Banish it and strip it of its power? Kill it?

"Well, before I do anything, I have to find it." he said aloud. "Maybe I will figure out what happened to Shagra-" His gaze fell on the blood again. With a horrified shriek, he set to digging frantically through the remains of his tower.

After what felt like ages but was probably only about two hours of digging, he began to lose hope of finding anything. He was about to turn and leave when he spied something under a block of stone. Carefully, he pulled it out. It was a sword, too small for his hands, but the right size for a human…or an orc. Its blade was long and straight, with a straight hook on the square end of it. He turned the sheath over and saw the symbols tooled into the leather that identified the owner: a crude stick figure with a spiked crown, and a small stick figure holding its hand.

He knew only one orc who used that symbol.

He felt his eyes watering as he looked at it. He remembered the first time he had seen that image. It had been drawn on top of his crop production records from the south. He had wanted to get angry, but hadn't been able to. The look on the little orc's face had been too pitiful, and when he had actually looked at the drawing, he had been touched by what the little orc was trying to say. A tiny voice spoke in the back of his mind, a voice he had heard long ago, and whose owner he had loved like his own child.

_I love you, Dark Lord. _

He could still see that little face in the back of his mind...

Something wet dropped onto his hand. Ordinarily, he would have stopped himself and held it in. But he saw no need to do so now. No one was here to see him. So he sat down on a block of stone and let the tears fall. And there, in what was left of his land, he, the Dark Lord Sauron, cried for his lost child.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Nia led the two brothers to a large fenced in corral, where she told them to wait. They did so, and she leapt gracefully over the fence. and ran off across the corral. She came back a few moments later leading three large black horses. She handed each of them a pair of reins, keeping one for herself.

"Um, Nia," Shagrat said, catching her attention, "I don't know how to ride."

She looked at him for only a moment before she turned his horse loose again.

"Then you will ride with me and I shall teach you." she said, matter-of-factly. " After all, isn't that what i am supposed to do?"

"Erm, yeah...I-I guess." Shagrat stammered. She smiled and led him over to her horse. Isthey was already mounted and waiting for them. Shagrat stood by the horse and waited for her to get on.

"Lift your foot." she commanded. Puzzled, Shagrat did as he was told. He let out a yelp of surprise when she grabbed him by his foot and threw him up onto the animal's back. She mounted, more gracefully, behind him. She took her reins in one hand and wrapped her other arm around Shagrat's waist so she could hold him on. She looked to Isthey and they started off.

For the first part of their ride, Nia controlled the horse, having Shagrat watch her hands and her legs as she gave the horse different signals. At times she had him place his hand on her leg so he could feel how the muscles tensed or relaxed to signal the animal, or on top of her hand so he could feel how she held the reins and checked them ever so slightly when she wanted to slow down or change direction. True to his nature, Shagrat picked everything up rather quickly, certainly faster than Nia had expected. She knew her father would be pleased to hear this.

After they had ridden about halfway to where she wanted to go, give or take a few miles, she handed her reins off to Shagrat. He panicked for a moment, until she placed her hands on top of his and moved his hands into place.

"Remember how I showed you," she said soothingly into his ear. He seemed to relax at her touch, and even more at the sound of her voice. Once he got over his panic, he was able to control the horse with greater ease than even he had expected of himself.

They had ridden quite a bit further when Nia called Isthey to ride up beside them.

"Now is your first test." she told Shagrat. And before he could even think of his response, she leapt over onto Isthey's horse, leaving him alone on hers. Shagrat quickly returned his attention to his mount. He could see Isthey's horse ahead of him, and took this as an indication that he was to follow. A slight tug on the left rein brought his horse into line directly behind Isthey's. A small squeeze from his legs urged it into a faster canter as he followed his brother up a small hill. Isthey stopped there and looked back at him, smiling Shagrat returned it, his face beaming with pride at his accomplishment of riding the horse on his own. Nia leaned around Isthey to smile at him as well. So entranced was he by her smile, he stopped paying attention to the horse. His heels dug into its sides as his reins jerked it hard in the mouth. The horse whinnied loudly as it reared and bucked. Isthey jumped from his horse and ran to catch the frenzied animal. Shagrat held on to the saddle for dear life, until a particularly hard buck sent him sprawling onto the ground. Isthey grabbed the horse and pulled it away before it could hurt Shagrat by stepping on him or kicking him. Shagrat's vision blacked out for a moment, and when it returned, Isthey had his head in his lap.

"Shagrat! SHAGRAT!" he cried, until Shagrat's eyes fluttered open. "Are you all right?"

"My head hurts, but I don't think I broke anything." Shagrat groaned, rubbing his forehead. Isthey ran his hand over the area and felt the enormous swollen knot there.

"Is he hurt?" Nia called from where she had been collecting the horses.

"No, he's all right." Isthey answered, helping Shagrat to his feet.

"Except that I failed the test." Shagrat muttered glumly.

"It doesn't matter. It was only your first time." She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Besides, those who are not good with horses prove to be excellent with our next lesson, which is the real lesson I had planned for today."

She took Shagrat's hand and led him after her to the edge of the cliff they were on. He looked back to see Isthey following close behind them.

"A Seylán is not like a horse." Nia said, drawing his attention back to her, "Once a bond has formed, the Seylán will fly with only one orc for the rest of its life." Shagrat remembered the huge flying steeds the Ringwraiths of Mordor had ridden. He could just imagine one flying off with him in its talons, the way an eagle flies with a freshly caught fish.

"So how do I get one?" he inquired.

"You will enter their nesting grounds. Many of them will flee at the sight of you. You must stay there. You must wait for your Seylán to Choose you. Once it has, you must mount the creature. The moment you touch it, its mind will become open to you. You will then open your own mind and form a bond with it." Nia explained.

"And how do I know if it Chooses me?"

She hesitated and looked back at Isthey before answering, "It will try to kill you." Shagrat felt the blood drain from his cheeks at those words.

"All right, when do I do it?"

"Now." Without warning, she pushed him out from behind the rockface. He stumbled for amoment to regain his footing and looked up. What met his gaze left him speechless.

Fell beasts. Hundreds of them. Some were flying, some were sunning on rocks, and others were merely trying to get away from him. They all kept their large, reptilian eyes on him, lest he should pose some unknown threat to them by stumbling so haphazardly into their nesting grounds.

He cautiously approached one. But before he got very close, it gave a loud shriek, flapped its wings, and flew away. Several others followed its lead. Obviously, none of them had Chosen him. He wondered how long it would be before one of them _did _Choose him. How long would Isthey and Nia leave him here? Would they leave him for days if he hadn't been Chosen yet? And if they did, what would he eat or drink? Then the worst thought occcured to him.

_What if none of them chooses me!_

Then he saw it. The largest of all the beasts, the one the others avoided more than they avoided him. The one that was looking right at him. It gave a threatening hiss as he approached.

Immediately, Shagrat was on his guard. He decided to test the beast and make sure it was doing what he thought it was doing and not just being overconfident because of its size. He curled back his lips, pinning his ears back against his head, and let out a threatening hiss of his own as he assumed a fighting stance.

The creature eyed him, as though sizing him up. He saw its legs bend and its wings lift, its neck arch and its tail lash as it prepared to strike. He turned himself sideways, with his back facing away from it and his shoulders hunched up around his neck, knowing it would most likely aim its attack at his back or his neck. He watched the creature and figured his plan in his mind. But, as years of combat experience had taught him, he waited for his opponent to make the first move.

It struck. With a speed he had thought impossible, its head shot toward him He waited, searching for his opening. he knew he only had one chance. If this attempt failed, he would be dead before he knew it had failed. Like it always did when he was in battle, time seemed to slow down. His mind cleared of all other thoughts, and it seemed as though he was seeing himself through the eyes of an onlooker. He saw his arms stretch forward as he leapt and they wrapped around the beast's neck. He felt his body position itself behind the shoulders as his hands reached out and grabbed the spine on the creature's neck in front of him. Time sped up again now that he was on. He felt the Seylán bucking and jumping worse than the horse had, and he feared the animal would throw him off over the cliff. He could see Nia shouting something at him, but her words were lost in the creature's roars and shrieking cries. The second part of her instructions came back to him as he felt something pushing against his mind. He immediately opened his mind and let it in, exposing every detail of who he was, what he had been through, and even his deepest secrets, to the other mind. At the same time, he looked for an opening in its mind where he could establish a bond.

Without warning, the Seylán assaulted his mind. White hot daggers stabbed into every corner of his being, and icy talons held him. Panicked, he tried to shut himself off, but the beast was too powerful. He screamed in his mind as the beast dug into the very core of his being, nearly ripping him apart. It would kill him if it continued much longer. And he was powerless to stop it. The worst part was, neither Isthey nor Sauron could save him here. Ready to succumb entirely to his pain, he gave one last desperate cry.

_Stop! Oh, please stop! You're hurting me! You'll kill me! Please!_

To his surprise, the pain melted away, leaving him gasping mentally.

_Forgive me,_ came a soft, gentle female voice, _ I meant you no harm, but I had to be sure you actually were who and what you appeared to be. That you were not some wraith or sorcerer come to enslave me._

_No! _Shagrat protested, _I wouldn't! I couldn't!_

_I know now, little one, _she assured him, _ Now it is safe to tell you that I am Nyra, and I have Chosen you...Shagrat._

He saw Nia beside him gently pudshing Nyra's massive body so she faced the edge of the cliff.

"Very good, Shagrat. But you are not through yet. Your first flight together will seal your bond forever. This cannot wait. Think of what you want her to do in your mind, and she will do it. Tell her to fly now."

_Fly, _he thought. In response, Nyra tossed her head, spread her wings, and leapt off the cliff with a deafening roar. Shagrat screamed and held on tightly to the neck spine in front of him.

They fell for a few seconds before a mighty downbeat of Nyra's huge wings sent them rocketing skyward. Shagrat shut his eyes against the rush of wind in his face.

_Don't be afraid. I will not let you fall. _Nyra's voice sounded calm and reassuring in his mind. He tried hard to force himself to relax, but his efforts were futile. Only when Nyra leveled out was he successful. Only then did he dare to open his eyes and look down.

Far below, to the north, he could see the mists rising from the Falls of Rauros, and the satiny ribbon of the Anduin flowing southward. To the west lay the long chain of mountains that separated Gondor and Rohan from the other lands in the Wset. Turning south, he could see the peaks that held the Beacons of Gondor and the great citadel of Minas Tirith, where the heir of Isildur now reigned. Beyond that, on the thin hazy line where sky met earth, he could just make out the sunlight glinting off the distant sea.

Nyra banked left and turned until he faced east. The black rock mountains that bordered Mordor were still there, but the cloud of ash and darkness that had always hung over the land was gone. For the first time in thousands of years, sunlight poured into that forgotten land, and even as Shagrat flew, somewhere in Mordor, the Dark Lord felt the warmth on his back and looked up in awe and wonder at the sight of the sun. That light gave him stregth to believe that all was not yet lost, and a feeling of hope rose in his heart that his dear orc was out there somewhere, and that he would find him someday.

_I am sorry for what I did to you back there, _Nyra's voice was soft and and sad. As she spoke, Shagrat could feel her regret for his pain.

_It's all right, _he told her, _I would have done the same._

_Mmh. _She said no more.

_Besides,_ he added, _this__ is worth every bit of it. _She said nothing, but he felt her appreciation for the compliment.

They flew for a while longer before they angled back toward where they had come from and began a slow circling descent. They landed in the clearing where Shagrat had fallen from the horse. Isthey and Nia were running to them even before Nyra touched down. Shagrat slid off and practically fell into Isthey's waiting arms.

"Well done, Shagrat!" he exclaimed, clapping his brother on the back. "That's the fastest I've ever seen anyone get Chosen. She must have had her eye on you from the start."

"Probably." Shagrat agreed and looked at Nyra, who curled up her lip in what seemed to be a small grin. She brought her head around and nuzzled him affectionately on the arm.

"Yes, well done indeed." Nia complimented, "And now I have something to give each of you." She set down the large bundle she had brought with her and pulled out what looked to be a large tangle of leather. She slung it over Nyra's back and Shagrat realized it was meant to be a saddle. It was little more than a wide piece of leather across her back where he would sit, a strap around her neck for him to hold on to, and two wooden footrests where his feet would go. Nyra watched as Nia fastened the cinches, careful not to make them too tight. He saw straps down the side above the footrests and realized these would go around his legs, most likely to keep him from falling off.

"That'll help you ride out any rough flight." Nia explained, "You'll need it. Trust me."

"Thank you, Nia."

"I'm not finished yet. This is for you." She pulled out a smaller band of leather about as wide as two of his fingers and placed it on his head. It sat lightly above his ears with a nosepiece that ran about halfway down his nose. An animal bone ran down the center of it, and the top rim was decorated with sharp teeth pointed to the sky. Two pieces of some clear, veined material hung down just above his eyes. These were angled out, away from his face.

"Those will keep the wind out of your eyes." Nia explained. Shagrat thanked her again.

"Well, now that Shagrat's passed his first test, I say it's high time we had some lunch. Anyone object?" Isthey called impatiently from atop his horse. They both agreed. Nia offered to take Shagrat on her horse again, but he quickly declined, eager for an excuse to fly with Nyra again. As the other two galloped off, Shagrat mounted again. He told Nyra to follow the horses. She raised her wings and leapt into the air, but this time, Shagrat was ready. He closed his eyes and sighed blissfully at the feeling of the warm breeze on his face. Nyra's wings made no sound as she soared like an eagle on the wind. Below, Isthey and Nia were a pair of tiny brown specks moving slowly across the field. The sun shone down on him and warmed his skin. He lay down on Nyra's neck, with his arms draped down the sides. After so many years of hurt, pain, and poverty, Shagrat finally felt truly happy for the first time in his life.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Okay, so, who guessed it was Sauron and how did you figure it out? If you didn't guess Sauron, what made you guess who you did. And who here wants a Nazgûl now? (jumps up and down waving hand wildly) Tell me your answers in your reviews, and I'll start Chapter Five as soon as I can! Thank ya!**

**-D. L.**


	5. Bonding Hands and Fluttering Hearts

**Okay, folks, here's chapter five. It's kinda short, but two very important things happen in this chapter, so it's worth it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR. Also, if anything in this or one of the other chapters resembles something from any fandom besides LOTR, that resemblance is purely coincidental.**

**Now, back to Shagrat.**

**- 5. Bonding Hands and Fluttering Hearts -  
**

Weeks passed, and Shagrat quickly became an excellent hunter, bringing back at least two large kills from every hunt. He also learned much of the Uruk-hai's history, from their origins to the songs and stories that were still with them. Finally, after about two-and-a-half months, Eytukan deemed Shagrat ready to "come of age" and gain his permanent place among their People.

"It's alright. You'll be fine." Isthey assured his brother as Nia drew patterns on his skin with some sort of yellow orange powder.

"Are you sure, Isthey?" Shagrat asked.

"Yes, I am." Isthey said with a laugh, "You've got the easy part. All you have to do is stand there."

Shagrat closed his eyes as Nia drew on his face.

"There." she said, stepping back to admire her work. There wasn't a bit of him visible that she had missed. She had braided his hair down his back, much like Isthey's, and woven his silver cords into the braid. He wore nothing but a simple loincloth, like he had when he first came to the Uruk-hai. His condition had improved much since then. His arms and legs were more muscular and his chest had filled out nicely, with muscles rippling down his front and back, brought out by Nia's drawings on him. All in all, he was a handsome young Uruk, and Nia looked at him now with admiration.

These two had become especially close over the course of Shagrat's learning. They grew to enjoy each other's company in everything they did together. Sometimes they would even plan things to do just so they could see each other. They hunted together and flew on their Seylán together or just sat and talked together. They had become the best of friends, something Shagrat had never dreamed he would have with anyone, save maybe Sauron or Isthey. Yet every time he saw her, Shagrat felt something stir inside him. It wasn't a pain, it was more like a warm fluttering inside him. He felt this feeling now as he looked at her in awe.

Gone was her leather and animal hides, gone were her necklaces with teeth and bones, and gone was the wild and feral look about her. She wore a long dress made of some thin, lightweight material that hung on her flawless curves as though it was a part of her. It was the color of the sky at twilight, and it had no sleeves. Nia's bare arms were dressed with bracelets of woven grasses and small beads. On each arm, she had a few silver bands around her wrists. She wore a necklace similar to Shagrat's leather one, except hers was covered in small sparkling stones, and it had parts that hung down onto her chest. Shagrat thought it looked like a miniature waterfall on her neck. He also noticed the brightly colored flowers in her hair. All in all, she had never looked more beautiful, he thought.

He was brought out of his reverie by Isthey giving him a light tap on his shoulder.

"It's time." he said softly. Shagrat noticed now that Nia had left. He nodded and allowed Isthey to lead him forward. Isthey led him up the back side of the hill where the clan was gathered beneath an enormous willow tree. The stars shone overhead, but a few torches were lit beside the tree. Isthey left Shagrat's side and Shagrat continued on his own. He walked up to where Eytukan stood at the back of the tree, where the clan couldn't see them.

"Are you ready?" the chief asked, taking Shagrat's hand in his. Shagrat nodded and allowed Eytukan to lead him around the tree. He and Eytukan stepped onto a large flat stone in front of the tree and Eytukan turned to address the clan.

"My people," he began, in the Uruk-hai language, "It was thousands of years ago that our first ancestors settled here, and their children came of age beneath this very tree. Their children learned and grew in this land, and built upon it the legacy of our great people. Now, thousands of years later, we are still here, about to see one of our children pass into adulthood. Like those who came before him, he has grown and learned in the ways of our people." This wasn't entirely true, but no one cared on this occasion.

"Now, in the name of the Valar, I name you Shagrat, Son of the Uruk-hai People." He placed his hands on Shagrat's shoulders, which wasn't hard since he he was taller than Shagrat. Mo'at approached from behind and placed hers on his back. Isthey and Nia came to either side of him and placed one hand on his back and one on his chest. The rest of the clan came forward and placed their hands on the backs and shoulders of these four, those farther back putting their hands on the shoulders and backs of those in front of them. It seemed as though Shagrat could feel a connection to all of them through their hands, and he grasped the full significance of this event. At last, he was where he belonged. He was no longer different or an alien. He was one of them.

Later that night, after Shagrat had washed off and reclothed himself, Nia beckoned him to follow her. She led him down to the side of a small river, where a huge glade of willows grew. She led him into it and stopped when she reached what must have been the center. Moonlight shone down into the small clearing, and luminescent things in the water gave the clearing a soft, romantic glow. Fireflies danced about, heedless of the two orcs, or even the fact that they _were _orcs. The crystal clear water sparkled with the light of the moon and stars on its glossy surface.

"What is this place?" Shagrat asked softly, looking around in awe at the huge, ancient willows.

"This is _Khálané Maraghûn._" Nia said just as softly, "The Glade of the Voices."

"Voices?" Shagrat asked. Nia nodded.

"They are the voices of those who came before. Listen." As she said so, a breeze blew through the glade, and Shagrat thought he could hear faint singing on the wind. He had a sudden thought and opened his mind like he had done when bonding with Nyra. The singing became clearer, and Shagrat was able to tell that the words were in the Uruks' tongue. There were many singers that he could hear, young and old, male and female, all singing one continuous song together. It was a mystic, otherworldly sound, and one of the most beautiful things Shagrat had ever heard.

"I hear them." he whispered. Nia smiled and came to stand beside him with her hands on his shoulders.

"You are Uruk-hai now, Shagrat." she told him, "You may make your bow from our trees." She turned away and caught a large firefly in her hands. "You may also choose a woman." she said. "Sarna is our best cook."

Shagrat felt that strange fluttering again, stronger than ever, as he said, "But I don't want Sarna." Nia looked at him and continued.

"Firri is a strong warrior." He could feel the fluttering throughout his whole body now, and words were forming in his mind, words that he knew he wanted to tell her but was too afraid to on his own. He could feel them making their way to his tongue, preparing to escape.

"Yes, she is." he agreed. "But I've already chosen." Nia paused as she let her firefly go. Shagrat moved closer to her.

"But this woman must also choose me." He hoped those words summed up everything he'd come to feel for her over the past two-and-a-half months. A smile spread on her face as she spoke the words he most wanted to hear. She leaned in close and whispered in his ear.

"I already have."

And before he could react, she took him in her arms and pressed her lips to his. Shagrat's eyes went wide with shock. He'd never even _heard _of this before. But he immediately caught on and returned the kiss, his heart skipping beats as he did.

She pulled back and laughed quietly at Shagrat's giddy face. She, too, had developed feelings for him, and had finally been able to reveal a small part of them to him. It was obvious now that he felt the same way for her as she did for him. But she had to be sure.

Shagrat couldn't believe his luck. She had the same sort of feeling for him. He didn't know what to call it. It was deeper and more powerful than just friendship. He struggled hard to think of the right word to use to tell her how he felt about her, what had been trying so hard to escape the confines of his heart, what he had heard stories of, but never thought he would have until now.

They both thought the word at the same time, and so confessed their feelings for each other in unison, each's heart skipping beats as they heard the other say the three most wonderful words they could ever hear.

"I love you."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Yaaaay, finally! Some orc romance that doesn't involve es-ee-ex!**

**So, my dear reviewers. How did I do on my first romance scene?**


	6. Revenge and Return

**Okay, so Shagrat and Nia are in love, and the "e" key on my keyboard fails. Oh, and I hate bushes. But what are the consequences/effects of their newfound love? Well, you'll have to stick with this story to find out, 'cause I don't give spoilers.**

**Disclaimer: I only own Isthey, Nia, and anyone else who is obviously not canon. Everything else is Tolkien's. I'm just writing the fic with it. Thanks, John.**

**What are you still doing here? Scroll down and read.**

**- 6. Revenge and Return -  
**

The Mouth had been searching for days, and still it had found nothing alive. It was growing impatient with not finding anything. It was also hungry. Not just for food, but for a victim. It hadn't tortured or killed anything since the collapse of Barad-dûr.

"You'll be the first, Dungrat." it growled as it entered a lush forest, "And I'll make it especially painful, just for you." A malicious grin crossed its face as it began concocting different schemes of torture in its ruthless mind, each more horrid than the last. It laughed to itself as it thought. It could already hear Shagrat's screams.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Sauron wasn't sure how many days had passed since the tower fell. Nor was he sure of where he should begin searching for the Mouth. He knew better than to think it had died. If he, in his non-enchanted mortal body, was alive, so was the Mouth in its augmented form. Sauron shook his head. What had possesed him to bring such an awful creature into existence was still a mystery to him. He would have been completely mad to do something like that by his own choice.

His growling stomach brought him out of his thoughts and reminded him that there were certain responsibilities that came with a body. He went back to the place where he had first crawled from the rubble. He wasn't really expecting to find anything, so he was mildly surprised when he saw a silver handle sticking out of the mess. With both hands, he gave it several hard tugs before it came free. He fell backwards and ended up sitting in the dirt with his mace in his lap. At the moment, he looked more like a banished peasant farmer than the mighty lord he was. He stood up and went back to the rubble and started digging through it. A smile spread on his face when he saw the curving black wood and silver markings. The leather around the many shafts of black wood with silver feathers. Carefully, he eased his bow and quiver out of the debris.

"Because a mace won't get me a meal." he said aloud. Sauron stood and looked around him, realizing he wouldn't find anything here that would feed him. He would have to leave Mordor.

He looked to the eastern sky and loosed a shrill call. It took several tries before he heard wings beating. Then, she landed in front of him.

"Meyrán." he said. The huge black dragon looked over and stayed still for a moment, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

_Sauron? _she questioned. _Is it truly you?_

"Aye." he answered, "At last, I have returned to you, as I promised to always do." He walked over and leapt gracefully onto her back.

"Now, Meyrán, we shall hunt together again as we always did before."

With a loud roar, she spread her wings and leapt into the air. She circled the ruins once, then veered off to the west.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Shagrat awoke the next morning to Isthey shaking him gently.

"Shagrat. Time to get up." he said softly, "I've got breakfast on. Couple of squirrels I caught this morning." Shagrat could smell the smoke from the cookfire and also the aroma of the cooking meat. He sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Nia showed you _Khálané Maraghûn, _didn't she."

Shagrat nodded as the memories of that place and what had happened there last night returned to him. He remembered the feeling that he hadn't known the name for and decided that maybe Isthey would know.

"Can I ask you something, Isthey?"

"Go ahead. Ask away." Isthey turned from where he'd been checking the meat to face him.

"Do you know what it's called when you...when you...feel sort of...drawn to another? To a...woman?"

Isthey laughed, "That's called love. Just like what you and I have, but better. You see, when you meet the woman you love, you feel like you can't live without her. You'd do anything for her, just to make her happy. You'd die for her if you had to. She's the one you want to spend forever with. And once you find her, you'll never love another woman. Ever." He paused a moment, "Say, what makes you ask anyway, Shagrat?"

"Just...Just curious. I'm, uh, I'm gonna go flying for a bit." Shagrat answered quickly as he ran outside and called Nyra.

_Did you enjoy last night? _she asked innocently. _I see you chose someone._

_How did you know? _Shagrat exclaimed. Nyra snorted.

_ I do have eyes, you know. Very good eyes._

_Hmph. Well, don't go spreading rumors to the other Seylán about it. Neither me nor Nia has decided to tell anyone yet._

_Just because I bore witness does not mean I will disrespect your privacy and your feelings, Shagrat._

_How stupid of me. Of course you wouldn't. _He felt a wave of affection wash over him, and he returned it gratefully. He closed his eyes and let the wind of their flight ruffle his hair. Nyra flew low and slow over the tops of the trees, often scaring birds off their perches in the leaves. Only in the mornings did the two of them get to fly together on their own, when it was just them and the sky. Animals below looked up when Nyra's shadow passed over them. The wind from her great wings rustled the leaves in the topmost branches of the trees.

_I could do this forever. _Shagrat told her. He was sure she would have smiled if she could.

_So would I, little one. So would I._

So focused on their flight were they that neither of them noticed the danger that lurked below.

Suddenly, a jolt of excruciating pain shot through Shagrat's body and he screamed loudly as his body convulsed from the extreme pain.

_Little one! Shagrat! _Nyra's worried voice in his mind sounded distant and far away. His vision blurred and he felt his grip on her spike loosening. Then it seemed he was floating for a few seconds before he hit the tops of the trees. The limbs clawed at his skin and shredded his tunic. Then he was floating again. Then something slammed hard into his side. He lay there, winded, gasping for air as he was suddenly assailed by a new, stronger wave of pain. Through his blurry, watery eyes he saw a dark figure approach. Even through his pain, he recognized the feeling of fear the creature radiated.

_No. It couldn't be..._

"Mouth?" Shagrat gasped.

"I'm glad to see you recognize your executioner, _Captain." _it spat mockingly. "Now to finish the job I started before." It produced another whip, with longer and sharper barbs. With a touch of its finger and something muttered under its breath, it lit the lash on fire. Shagrat shut his eyes in dread.

_Nia, _he thought, _Oh, Nia. I should have done more, said more. I love you, Nia. I'll miss you. _Shagrat's eyes filled with tears as his heart joined his body in pain.

"Oh, is wittle Scumrat crying? Does he want his mommy?" the Mouth taunted as it beat him with its new lash.

"Stop it!" Shagrat cried as his face contorted in pain. "Stop! Please stop! Please! AAAAHHHHHHHH!"

The Mouth laughed wildly as it beat him with the flaming lash and his screams tore through the woods.

"Cry all you want. There's no one to hear you. No Sauron to save you now." Shagrat felt a new stab of pain in his heart at those last words.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Both Sauron and Meyrán tensed at the shrill sound. Both of them had heard it before. It was the sound of pain, of torture. Sauron even recognized the voice of an orc. He shielded his eyes with his hand as he searched the forest below for some hint of what was happening.

_There! _Meyrán cried, and he saw the image in his mind of what was unmistakably a fell beast circling low over the trees. The dragon banked left and flew toward it. As they neared, Sauron could see a clearing below the circling beast. And in the clearing...

_Meyrán, get me down there NOW! _She sensed his urgency and pointed her snout toward the clearing. Her wings folded in and she shot like an arrow downwards. Sauron lifted his mace high over his head, and when the dragon reached the lowest point of her swoop, the Dark Lord jumped.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Shagrat lay on the ground, the strokes from the lash burning his flesh, the blood from his wounds steaming. Suddenly, in his blurry vision, it seemed the dark blur of the Mouth was knocked away by another, larger blur that glittered in the light. Then there were two thin columns on either side of him. There were distant sounds, voices he thought. But they didn't matter. They grew more distant as his vision went dark and he slippped into oblivion.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

The Mouth never saw its attacker coming. Only when the great mace caught it in its side and sent it flying across the clearing did it realize someone had heard the orc's cries. It looked up to see what fool had dared interrupt its entertainment. What it saw left it dumbfounded.

He was twelve feet tall, and everything about him had an aura of power. Silver, spiked armor detailed with intaglio patterns covered his entire body. His great helm had a crown of six tall spines. A long black cape flowed down his back. A huge mace that matched his armor was in hs hand. A golden ring glittered on his right index finger.

This was everything the Mouth had ever feared. This was its worst nightmare come true. For the Mouth, this was Death incarnate.

"YOU!" the Mouth hissed, "You're supposed to be dead! They destroyed the Ring! You fell! You-"

"STOW IT, TRAITOR!" Sauron roared, and even the Mouth could feel the heat of his rage. And, for the first time in its long life, the Mouth felt true fear.

"T-traitor, my lord?" it stuttered, "I am no traitor. I've only ever served you, my lord."

"Turned all potential allies against me, you mean. And then you take my throne when you had no right to do so? And you lay blame for everything you've done on ME? Ha. Some loyal servant YOU are." The Mouth twitched and Sauron tensed more into his fighting stance, keeping Shagrat safely beneath him.

"So...are you going to come out from beneath your veil of deceit and admit to your treason? Or will I be finishing this?"

Instead of answering, the Mouth dashed for the trees. Fast as lightning, Sauron leapt in front of it, his twelve-foot-tall form blocking its path. His mace collided with the creature's legs, knocking them out from under it. It shrieked and fell onto its back. Sauron set his foot down on its chest and held it down.

"You know you cannot defeat me." he warned. The Mouth nodded, and Sauron continued, "I could do to you what you have done to an innocent victim. But I am not as low and foul as you, you loathsome scum. Now GET UP!"

Shakily, the Mouth stood. But before it could ask what he wanted of it next, Sauron's mace flashed through the air and struck the Mouth on its temple. It crumpled into a heap, dead before it hit the ground. Sauron laid his mace down and knelt by Shagrat, gently lifting the orc into his arms.

"Oh Shagrat. My poor little Shagrat." Sauron carefully took off his cape and wrapped it around the orc. He looked up when he heard his dragon and the fell beast land.

"Meyrán." He said, and she could hear the anguish and worry in his voice. She nodded to the fell beast.

_That is Nyra. She knows a place where he can be helped._ Sauron, still holding Shagrat in his arms, mounted his dragon and they followed.

_Hold on, Shagrat. _ he thought frantically, _I'll save you. Just hold on. For me. For Sauron._

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Oh, no, is Shagrat going to be alright? Well, I'll tell you. He's going to spoiler. (What, did you think I'd ACTUALLY TELL? Puh-leez)**

**Ha. I bet no one (except maybe Gorthaur) expected an emotional Sauron. But this is AU, so I can do what I want with him.**

**And yeah, I know Sauron had the Ring on his finger. That will be explained later in the story.**

**So tell me, who enjoyed seeing the Mouth get its butt kicked to the Moon and back?**


	7. Healing and Explaining

**For everyone who's been waiting so very patiently, this is the chapter where we find out if Shagrat will be all right.**

**I just want to say a HUGE thank you to Sauron Gorthaur for pointing out my many typos and giving me such great, helpful advice in her reviews. I hope you continue to like the story and are not too disappointed with my Sauron.**

**And now, back to the** **story.**

**- 7. Healing and Explaining -  
**

Isthey and Nia had been discussing the night before as they waited for Shagrat to return. A rush of wings overhead made them look up. First they saw Nyra zip over their heads, followed by...

"What is _that?_" Nia asked in alarm.

"Let's go find out." Isthey said. "Come on. It went that way."

The two ran after the huge creature as it circled lower and lower until it landed in the center of the village. A large group of orcs was already gathering around the stranger. The huge black creature lowered itself to the ground. A rider clad in silver armor dismounted. He was much taller than any of the Uruk-hai. He began making his way through the crowd with a large black bundle in his arms. A part of the cloth around it fell down to reveal a face. Isthey's blood ran cold.

A horrifed cry echoed across the crowd. Sauron looked in the direction it had come from and saw a particularly large orc shoving his way toward Sauron.

"Shagrat!" the orc yelled. His face grew more worried as he closer.

"Who are you?" Sauron demanded.

"I'm...I'm Isthey. I'm his brother." Isthey said anxiously, "Wh-what happened to him? Is he all right?"

"He's alive, but he needs help fast." Sauron answered, scanning his surroundings for anything that looked like something or someone that could help Shagrat. He wasn't seeing anything.

_Does Nyra know where I can take him? _Sauron asked Meyrán. There was a moment of silence before she answered.

_She says to ask Isthey. He will know. He will help. _Sauron nodded and turned back to Isthey, who had been pondering a thought that had just entered his head. He had been wondering just who the stranger that brought Shagrat back was. A description given to him by Shagrat seemed to fit the stranger perfectly. But what was his name? Salmon? Saeran?

"Sauron?" Isthey ventured. The Dark Lord looked down at him.

"Yes." he answered. "I am Sauron."

"Then thank you. For taking care of him in Mordor. For loving him like you did."

"And like I still do." Sauron added. Isthey led him to a large hut with a grass roof. He knocked rapidly on the wooden door. Tinana opened it, took one look at Shagrat, and ushered them inside, Sauron leaning over to avoid hitting his head on the doorframe or the ceiling.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

A while later, they were all gathered in the back room of Tinana's hut. Sauron sat cross-legged on the floor with Shagrat in his lap, the orc's head resting in the crook of his arm. Nia knelt in front of Sauron, Shagrat's hand grasped tightly in hers. Isthey sat beside them, gently stroking Shagrat's forehead.

Tinana had treated and bandaged all of his wounds, but she still wasn't sure if he would live through that night.

"He will make it." Isthey said yet again, "He's got to. He's just got to."

"Don't worry, Isthey. He will be all right." Nia assured him. She only hoped she was right.

"I feel so useless." Sauron muttered, "I wish there was more I could do for him. More I could do for you two." Isthey looked at him.

"You already did. You saved his life from...whatever or whoever did this to him." Isthey clenched his fists, "If I ever find the one who did this, I swear to the Valar I'll kill them!"

"Eheheh. Well, Isthey, you don't need to worry about that. I already killed it." Sauron said nervously. Isthey's wrath dissolved.

"What was it?" Nia asked.

"It was known to everyone as the Mouth of Sauron, But I'm not sure why I brought such a horrible abomination into existence."

"I remember that." Isthey commented, causing Nia to whip her head around to face him. "Shagrat said the Mouth of Sauron was who hurt him when they first found him."

"That sounds like the Mouth." Sauron agreed, nodding.

"How did this...this _thing _come to be?" Nia asked.

"That will take some time to explain." Sauron looked down at the unconscious orc in his arms. "But I suppose we have time for it. Very well, then, I shall tell you the full story." Isthey and Nia moved closer as he began his tale. None of them, not even Sauron himself, noticed the Dark Lord's hands glowing softly beneath Shagrat.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Shagrat couldn't make sense of what he was feeling as he merged from the blacknes. It became immediately clear that whatever the Mouth had been doing to him had been stopped. Where he had felt pain and burning before, he now felt softness and warmth. Someone was now being very gentle with him and being careful not to hurt him. He could hear distant sounds that were becoming clearer and clearer. He could now identify them as voices, though he couldn't tell who was speaking. He felt something warm and smooth around his hand and something hard and cool against his side. His eyes opened a bit and he could make out blurry shapes around him. He could also feel a sort of tingling sensation in his back that spread out all over his body. The voices he heard were becoming clearer,Hecould now tell there were three speakers and that one of them was female. Then his ears and eyes refocused and his senses became clear.

"...did you do?" cried the female.

"What do you mean? What DID I do?" asked a male voice that Shagrat thought sounded familiar, but he wasn't sure.

"What did you do when your hands started glowing? What did that do to my brother?" demanded a second male voice. This one Shagrat was certain he knew.

"I...I don't know. I didn't even know my hands were glowing." the first male answered. Shagrat mustred up his strength to speak.

"I...Isth-they." Shagrat gasped. Within seconds, he saw his brother's face hovering over his.

"Shagrat! Oh, thank the Valar, you're all right!" He lifted his head and shot a glance to someone Shagrat couldn't see. Nia appeared beside him and gave Shagrat a soft peck on his cheek.

"You will be well soon, ma Shagrat." she said gently. Her black hair fell down over her shoulders, forming a sort of curtain around their faces. For the first time, he was able to look into her deep blue eyes. Eyes that were so full of kindness and love, all for him, all for the one she loved, whom she would not easily let Death take. Eyes that could comfort him and bring him peace, no matter how great his pain or fear.

Shagrat now understood what Isthey had explained to him that morning about finding "the one". The person he wanted to spend forever with, the person he cared for more than anything, the person he would give his own life to protect. And he knew in his heart that she felt the same way for him.

Shagrat now knew Isthey and Nia were beside him, but there was someone else there, too. Shagrat could smell them. It was a different smell, yet it seemed familiar. Like sweat, and metal, and..._sulfur._

Shagrat slowly tilted his head back to look up. He didn't believe what he saw.

"Sauron?" he gasped. The Dark Lord nodded slowly and lifted Shagrat into a sitting position with his back against Sauron's chest.

"What happened? Where is the Mouth?" Shagrat asked.

"The Mouth is dead by my mace. It was I who brought you here, under the guidance of a fell beast named Nyra." Sauron answered. "I met your brother upon my arrival and he brought me to the healer whose home we are now in."

"So...you are truly Restored? I did not fail you?" Sauron shook his head.

"No, Shagrat. You did just as I asked. The Ring was cast into the Fires, and the Pure Evil's hold on me destroyed."

"The Ring wasn't thrown into any fires!" Isthey exclaimed. "It's right there on Sauron's finger!"

"Right you are, Isthey. But I only said it was _cast in_. I never said it was _destroyed." _Now it was Shagrat's turn to be puzzled.

'It was the Lord of the Void's work that was destroyed. The Ring was merely a vessel to carry that to where it could be safely destroyed. The bond was broken in the Fires. But the Ring itself was my own creation. It was my blood that mixed with the gold used to forge it. Therefore, since the Ring was a part of me and not _him, _it survived and returned to its place of origin, which is my hand."

Isthey and Nia shuddered. Even they knew who the Pure Evil, the Lord of the Void was

Shagrat fidgeted with one of his bandages, which covered a particularly bad wound, until he accidentally tore it open and it fell off. The room fell suddenly quiet.

"Not...possible." Isthey gasped. Shagrat looked down at his stomach, where he knew the wound to be and saw...

Nothing. His skin was as clear and smooth as if he'd never been hurt. He eagrly removed his other bandages and found the sam had happened with the other wounds. They had all somehow disappeared.

"How?" Nia asked. Sauron slapped his face with his palm.

"Of COURSE! Why didn't I think of it before? Sauron, you fool of a Maia."

"You know what healed his wounds?" Isthey asked.

"I did." Sauron answered. "I forgot that I had healing abilities. I am so terribly sorry. If I had remembered, I would have healed him much sooner. I'm so sorry."

"It's all right." Shagrat put a hand on the Dark Lord's shoulder. "You healed me now, and I'm unhurt. So let's go to mine and Isthey's home for dinner. I'm sure you're starving, my lord." Sauron was about to object, but his stomach chose that moment to betray him with a growl. So, after explaining Shagrat's sudden recovery to Tinana and thanking her for her help, the four of them departed for Isthey's house. Sauron crawled inside and sat beside Shagrat and Nia while Isthey prepared some fresh squirrels he'd caught earlier.

When had finished their meal and said good-bye to Nia, the two orcs set about arranging blankets into an area near their pallets where Sauron could sleep. The Maia thanked them and laid down beside Shagrat, using his cape as a blanket. Shagrat was still amazed by how Sauron could sleep anywhere without the spikes of his armor tearing the blankets and pillows. He supposed it was some other bit of Sauron's magic.

At last, it seemed everything would be all right now. He was back with his brother, he had a home, he had fallen in love with someone, and now he had the Dark Lord back. Everyone who loved him, except for Nia and his mother, was here. With him. To stay.

"Sauron." he said, "I...I love you, Dark Lord." A large arm wrapped around him and pulled him close.

"And I love you, my little Shagrat."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Aaaawwwwwwww, Shagrat's okay and he's back with Sauron. Ain't that SWEET? Shoot me a review and tell me what you think.**


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